Down to the top five! Number five is an all-time favorite moment that Sooner Nation will remember and that is Baker Mayfield planting the OU flag in the center of the O which is the Ohio State logo placed at the 50-yard line in Columbus, Ohio after taking down the second-ranked Ohio St Buckeyes.
To add some context, Ohio State defeated the Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma 45-24 in the previous season. Now in 2017, the Sooners sought revenge.
On Sep. 9, 2017, the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in what would be a classic showdown.
With the majority of the first half being a pretty dominant half for both defenses, Ohio State forced the Sooner’s offense to commit a pair of turnovers and turnover on downs and the Sooner’s defense forced Ohio State to punt in the majority of their first-half drives.
Both teams held each other to a field goal in the first half. Ohio State placekicker Sean Nuernberger’s 24-yard field goal and Oklahoma placekicker Austin Seibert’s 35-yard field goal created a 3-3 tied game going into the half.
The Buckeyes quickly scored the game’s first touchdown with a JK Dobbins six-yard run to give Ohio State a 10-3 with the assistance of Parris Campbell’s huge momentum-grabbing kickoff return.
Mayfield and the Sooners responded immediately with a 36-yard scoring strike from Mayfield to fullback Dimitri Flowers to tie the game at 10-10.
Next drive, Oklahoma’s defense held the Buckeyes to a field goal. Nuernberger’s 24-yard field goal gave Ohio State back the lead 13-10.
A couple of drives later, Oklahoma captured their first lead of the game with Mayfield locating receiver Lee Morris off a play-action for the 18-yard touchdown. The Sooners led 17-13.
Following the Sooner’s stopping the Buckeyes on fourth down, Mayfield strikes again on the move but this time finding running back Trey Sermon for the 10-yard touchdown stretching the lead to 24-13. Mayfield ended the game with three touchdown passes, and 386 passing yards with a 77 completion percentage.
About a minute later, Oklahoma defensive back Parnell Motley intercepted Ohio State’s quarterback JT Barrett’s pass which gave Mayfield and the Sooners solid field position.
Getting to the goalline, it set up Sooners receiver Jordan Smallwood to find his way into the endzone for a three-yard rushing touchdown off a jet sweep extending the Oklahoma lead to 31-13.
Ohio State secured three points by Nuernberger making a 32-yard field goal, but the Sooners ran the clock out and completed the 31-16 upset victory over the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
After the win, Mayfield grabbed an OU flag and began to run a lap with it, then eventually giving Sooner Nation an unforgettable and iconic moment by planting the flag in the heart of Ohio State.
By: Joey Ross
